Dear Editor,
With the headline, “Residents voice Opposition to
Smugglers”, people expected and, indeed, are entitled to know why
there is protest concerning the development at Smugglers Cove. With the
islands-wide headlong rush to high-end development and resorts, it was
assumed some development would eventually come to Smuggler’s
Cove. Given the small size, shape, and narrowness of the site,
expected were 10 or so individual upscale villas well-designed, evoking
a small West Indian village, and showcasing the BVI’s unique and
recognized architectural style in an eco-friendly manner. Villas
would be tucked away and landscaped on acre lots in keeping with the
surrounding houses and set back far off the beach maintaining easy
access and use by all. A 5 star “boutique”
resort on the scale and size of Sugar Mill was touted, yet what has
been proposed is much denser than other 5 star resorts in BVI: Biras
Creek has 34 guest units on 140 acres, and Little Dix Bay has around
100 guest units on nearly 500 acres. While several paragraphs
were devoted to describing the 12-acre resort in pleasant marketing
terms and an explanation the hearing is a required step towards
approval, a mere one sentence was given to the comments and questions
raised by 12 to 15 members of the community who spoke. Instead of a
small upscale boutique eco-friendly resort they’d been led to
expect, the community was shocked into the reality that Government is
encouraging private local land to be sold to a speculative outside
developer and signing away the rights to historic Government owned
land. Here are just some of the stated issues and concerns raised by
the public at the meeting, the only public hearing scheduled on this
important topic. These issues were not mentioned in what is
supposed to be a fair unbiased report of the news-

A development agreement was signed without input from the people. The
resort is to take up more than half the (the full) length of the quiet
well-used local family beach, leaving just a small part available to
the “public”. Yacht charter guests, guests of other
hotels, and villa rental visitors, these being the bread and butter of
traditional BVI businesses, the many many local families enjoying
family outings, and church groups holding baptismal services and prayer
meetings can not possibly fit on the remaining small public side.
Throw in the cruise ship passengers, who will be encouraged by the
upgraded roads, and there won’t be room to sit down much less
swim.

The agreement includes a 250 Ft. private dock which will, by default,
be built on or near coral, fragile yet rejuvenating from previous
damage and bleaching. The dock will jut into the coral reef rich
with juvenile fish. It should be noted that coral reefs act as
buffers from erosive wave action. Any responsible boat captain will
warn, as several did at the hearing, the north swells in
Smuggler’s Cove are unpredictable and particularly fierce during
storms and will make the dock dangerous. This agreement
covers two blocks of land: parcel 2 is the 11 acre site owned/leased by
the Denniston estate; parcel 268 is the 1.3 acre site owned by Belmont
Estates Limited (not Belmont Owners Association). As displayed on
the drawings, the proposed dock is sited on parcel #2s “pebbly
beach”. However, the development agreement clearly states
twice [para 2.10 and para 4.5] the dock is to be located on parcel 268
not parcel 2, as shown on the picture circulated by the
applicant. This places the dock at the very centre of the
swimming beach !!!! ]

While the developer cherry-picked his comments, asserting the project
will be environmentally safe, the fine print of the Environmental
Impact Assessment survey(EIA) indicates otherwise and states clearly on
page 19 there are “serious environmental issues” with
erosion, runoff, pollution and contaminants, the contention the author
himself backed up in person. Boats in this small cove will raise
serious risk to swimmers, perhaps even eliminating Smugglers as the
last public family swimming beach on Tortola. Due to its low
level, land around Smuggler’s is a wetland with a very shallow
water table. A sewage treatment facility located there, no matter
how technologically advanced, will be subject to strong natural forces
as will any individual septic systems. 10 foot waves and surges
are not uncommon in Smuggler’s during violent storms and
hurricanes. More frequent are sudden outbursts with rain
accumulations of 10-20 inches over a period of hours or days.
Even the best technology will be no match against the power of Mother
Nature (water weighs 10 pounds per lbs per imperial gallon at
zero force level), pummeling the land from the sea and/or
hillside. In the best circumstances and with the best intensions,
ongoing day-to-day maintenance of a high-tech facility will be
problematic and dependent on special parts prone to failure and skilled
proactive human intervention. It is not a matter of
“if” the sewage treatment facility and/or septic systems
will fail. It is a matter of “when”. Could be
the first year, maybe the 5th or 10th but it will fail.

As noted in the EIA, at 65 dB (A), each generator, even
“installed in an acoustic enclosure” will create as much
noise as a city bus or large truck gunning its engine to climb a
hill. At this level with an acoustic enclosure, the noise level
will significantly exceed the recognized standards for residential
areas which are “below 55 dB (A) during the day and 45 dB (A)
during the night”. Given the steep bowl shape of the
surrounding hillside, any and all noise will be amplified and
reverberate throughout the estate.

Water, electricity, trash, sewage, construction
“accidents”, noise are all issues in this small crescent
shaped rural area

The EIA also notes “In addition to noise, workers and guests
should be protected against air emissions .nitrogen oxide, sulfur
dioxide, and particulate matter emissions are usually the areas of
concern”. Recent studies and papers authored by “the
leading international network of climate scientists has concluded for
the first time that global warming is “unequivocal” and
that human activity is the main driver” (New York Times Feb 2,
2007). We should be promoting sustainable energy at resorts and
developments.

Traffic through Long Bay and around Steele Point through the ferry dock
would jump from around 20-50 cars to a minimum of 266 cars daily on
country roads- an increase ranging from 532 % to 1,330 % at a
minimum!!! It was noted the traffic study was done during August
and September of 2006 the slowest off peak time of the year and did not
include traffic generated by groups such as resorts visitors who are
there to use the spa or restaurant but not staying onsite among
others. Consider what West End, the ferry dock area, Apple Bay,
and Long Bay will be like during peak season. Access roads are to
be widened over land owned and/or improved by Belongers and residents
at their own expense, wiping out their improvements and creating
dangerous traffic situations. And there still won’t
be enough road way or parking to handle the increase in traffic volumes
safely. The consultant stated he anticipates “conflict between
vehicles and pedestrians” as a crucial issue.

The dock will allow entry from other islands without clearing normal
Immigration and Customs and will invite boat moorings, and possibly
illegal landings. Boats which will pump sewage into the now clear
and clean water of Smuggler’s.

The hotel is to have its own shuttle to the ferry and airport,
discouraging taxis. Taxis proudly owned and operated by hard working
BVI residents forcing them to find other lines of work or to work for
others, possibly the developer himself or an outside concessionaire of
his choosing. Someone whose permit and trade license has been
fast-tracked per agreement by Government.

The off–island contractor was given permission to build
“temporary” affordable accommodations and “related
facilities” for its migrant workers on site or near on Parcel
267, (the salt pond and palm grove area). As discussed in detail below,
this site is part of the 2005 plan by Town and Country Planning
proposal for a park or conservation area, running from Smugglers Cove
to Black Rock on Long Bay. This parcel is home to an important
Pre-Columbian Indian archeological dig, part of Tortola’s
heritage. The 18th century ruins on the site of the first phase of
development were built by the blood, sweat, tears, and lives of
BVI’s ancestors. Who knows what other historical evidence and
heritage is there under the surface to be forever buried under the
villas and resort.

Rather than representing the West Indies and more specifically the
elegant architecture the BVI is proudly recognized for, these villas
and the entire resort will copy, exactly, the Balinese architecture
chosen by the developer to further his global brand image. And it
will set a precedent for the future as it will be the first time in BVI
history its doors will be open to a chain, welcoming it with
concessions such as allowing them to speculate and build on historic
sites. The “brand-use” of proposed thatched roofing
is inappropriate in Smugglers wet climate and will become host to rats,
bats and rot, as attested to by another local
estate.

More alarming, the developer was given “first refusal” for
“future expansion of the Resort or the building of a new Resort
and related facilities.” from Smugglers to Long Bay. This
will mean the developer would control the northwest corner of the
island up to the (densely populated) Long Bay Resort including the end
of that beach as well. All the villas and suites are for sale, meaning
the entire resort is being built as a speculative real estate venture
which will be handed over to managers. Work permits for the
outside laborers are to be fast-tracked (within 14 days), along with
non-belonger landowner’s and trade licenses raising the
likelihood individuals from other countries with dubious personal
histories and/or criminal records will pray upon the good people of the
BVI. Meanwhile, some responsible residents have been waiting for 8
years for theirs. These development agreements look like a grab for
land and licenses benefiting outside investors and speculators, leaving
residents in the dust.

Access to the development proposal and development agreement, as well
as the Environmental Impact survey [and impact] statement was limited
and few had the opportunity to see and read it prior to the
meeting. Much of information contained in it is vague and/or
based on assumptions which may or may not be complete or valid, raising
more concerns. Had the documentation been more widely available,
the meeting been allowed to continue with more public comments read
into the record and/or additional meetings scheduled, there is a sense
even more questions and concerns would be raised.

And finally, according to management plans developed by Town and
Country in 2001, the area including Smuggler’s Cove, Belmont Bay,
the salt pond, Black Rock, and the palm grove to the end of Long Bay
were slated to be become a park system complete with bathroom
facilities, retreat house, nature trails, beach activities and used for
historic preservation, scientific, educational, and recreational
purposes. As late as 2005, this management plan was reviewed,
updated, and revalidated, identifying a combined park system of
recreational, cultural, educational, scientific as the best use of the
site for current and future generations. What happened in one
short year? Why the sudden change of intention and best use? Why
the rush?

All of our environmental assets that were pending protection are now at
red-alert since our present powers don’t seem to think the
proposed park system merits any consideration in their development
agreements. Once Smuggler’s Cove, one of Natures Little Secrets,
is gone, it will be gone forever. While it is recognized there is room
for some development, the island has been stricken by a fatal disease
eating all coastlines and the last few “hidden secrets”.
Only a local doctor with a holistic vision can save it from becoming
St. Thomas or Cancun. That is what members of the public who were
given the opportunity to speak said during the meeting and why there is
much community comment, discussion and concern about the
development.